"Ship's ready for action, sir!"
"Very good. Keep the people at their quarters, and stand on as we are. Ah, Mr. Montagu, will you step below and fetch me my sword out of my cabin. What do you think of her, Desborough?"
"We think she is an American, sir," said Desborough.
"Oh, you do, do you? Well, I think she is one of ours. No American would dare to lead down on us in that way! We can blow him out of the water with a broadside or two, you know, but we 'll give him a hint all the same. Fire a gun there, to leeward, and hoist our colors."
As the smoke rolled away along the water, the stops were broken, and there flew out from each masthead the splendid English flag. It was answered soon afterward by a small English flag at the gaff of the approaching ship, which apparently mystified the captain more than ever, though it confirmed him in his previous opinion.
"Oh, father," whispered Katharine, clinging to the colonel, "what do you think it is? See that English flag!"
"Kate, I 'm morally sure that it is an American ship; it is just the plan and size of those ordered by Congress in '75. One of those ships should be in commission by now. If I am right, this should be the Randolph. I saw her a dozen times in Philadelphia; and if that's not she, I shall never pretend to know a ship again."
"But did you hear what Captain Vincent said?" continued Katharine; "how many guns would the Randolph carry?"
"About forty, and most of them small ones at best," answered the colonel, with a sigh.
The two ships were much nearer now, and their disparity in force was apparent even to the most unskilful eye.